Keith Washington
Encyclopedia
Keith Washington is an American R&B
vocalist from Detroit, Michigan
who scored a hit single
in the United States in 1991 with "Kissing You," which was also used as background music
for a General Hospital
on ABC
. "Kissing You" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male
and won a 1992 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single Male for song "Kissing You". The song also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart for one week.
Washington also recorded
a duet
with Kylie Minogue
, their co-composition "If You Were With Me Now
" in 1991 (on PWL Records) which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart
.
Washington branched out in a few acting roles. He starred as himself on the series Martin
in an episode called "A Woman with a Past" singing a duet with Tisha Campbell-Martin
entitled "The Closer I Get to You" a classic ballad performed and made famous in 1978 by Roberta Flack
and Donny Hathaway
. In addition, Keith had a brief role in the TV soap opera General Hospital
as "Keith Jasper." He also had a brief role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice as a hairdresser named "Dexter.".
In June 2009, Washington married his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Grimes, who is general sales manager for WGPR
-FM 107.5 in Detroit. He also revealed his plans to release a new album,. Washington has since branched out into radio himself, as he now hosts the nighttime "slow jams" show "Kisses After Dark" on Detroit radio station WDMK
-FM 105.9 (Kiss-FM).
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
vocalist from Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
who scored a hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the United States in 1991 with "Kissing You," which was also used as background music
Background music
Although background music was by the end of the 20th century generally identified with Muzak or elevator music, there are several stages in the development of this concept.-Antecedents:...
for a General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. "Kissing You" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
and won a 1992 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single Male for song "Kissing You". The song also topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart for one week.
Washington also recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, their co-composition "If You Were With Me Now
If You Were with Me Now
"If You Were with Me Now" is a pop–R&B song written by British songwriting team Stock and Waterman, Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue and American R&B singer Keith Washington for Minogue's fourth studio album Let's Get to It . The song was produced by Stock and Waterman and received a mixed...
" in 1991 (on PWL Records) which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Washington branched out in a few acting roles. He starred as himself on the series Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
in an episode called "A Woman with a Past" singing a duet with Tisha Campbell-Martin
Tisha Campbell-Martin
Tisha Michelle Campbell-Martin is an American actress and singer, known for her starring roles in television series Martin and My Wife and Kids and now is starring in the new television series The Protector...
entitled "The Closer I Get to You" a classic ballad performed and made famous in 1978 by Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack
Roberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
and Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
. In addition, Keith had a brief role in the TV soap opera General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
as "Keith Jasper." He also had a brief role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice as a hairdresser named "Dexter.".
In June 2009, Washington married his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Grimes, who is general sales manager for WGPR
WGPR
WGPR is an FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan brodacasting a Mainstream Urban format. Owned by the International Free and Accepted Modern Masons and operated under local marketing agreement by Radio One, the station operates on 107.5 MHz....
-FM 107.5 in Detroit. He also revealed his plans to release a new album,. Washington has since branched out into radio himself, as he now hosts the nighttime "slow jams" show "Kisses After Dark" on Detroit radio station WDMK
WDMK
WDMK is an FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan broadcasting at 105.9 mHz, owned by Radio One. The station is positioned as 105-9 Kiss, Detroit's Best R&B with a current-based Urban Adult Contemporary format playing mostly current R&B with some Neo Soul and a little old school mixed in...
-FM 105.9 (Kiss-FM).
Albums
- Make Time for Love (Qwest RecordsQwest RecordsQwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned byWarner Music Group. although Quincy was still under contract with A&M records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest,...
, 1991) U.S. #48, U.S. R&B #1 - You Make it Easy (Qwest, 1993) U.S. #100, U.S. R&B #15
- KW (MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
, 1998) U.S. #125, U.S. R&B #27
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles | ||
| 1991 | "Are You Still in Love with Me" | - | 15 |
| "Kissing You" | 40 | 1 | |
| "Make Time for Love" | - | 22 | |
| 1992 | "When You Love Somebody" | - | 26 |
| 1993–1994 | "Believe That" | - | 30 |
| "Stay in My Corner" | - | 34 | |
| 1994 | "Trippin'" | - | 77 |
| 1998 | "Bring it On" | 63 | 22 |